King and Queen and Crown Princess Couple informed about 2011 Nobel Laureates

The King and Queen and Crown Princess Couple receiving information about this year's Nobel Laureates. Photo: Henrik Garlöv/Kungahuset.se

On Monday 5 December, The King and Queen and Crown Princess Couple were given information according to tradition regarding the 2011 Nobel Laureates and their respective fields.

The Nobel Foundation's Executive Director Lars Heikensten presented the information, assisted by the permanent secretary of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Staffan Normark, Göran Hansson, secretary of the Nobel Committee for Physiology or Medicine, and Peter Englund, permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy.

There are 13 Nobel Laureates this year, including Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkol Karman, who were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The oldest Laureate is Tomas Tranströmer (80) and the youngest is Adam G. Reiss (42).

All the Nobel Laureates can bring their partners, as well as an official party of 14 people to Nobel week in Stockholm.

This year's Nobel Laureates are:

2011 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicinewas divided, with one half going to Ralph Steinman and the other half awarded jointly to Bruce Beutler and Jules Hoffmann for their research into the immune system.

2011 Nobel Prize in Physicswas divided, with one half going to Saul Perlmutter and the other half awarded jointly to Brian Schmidt and Adam Riess for discoveries regarding the accelerating expansion of the universe through observations of distant supernovae.

2011 Nobel Prize in Chemistrywas awarded to Daniel Schechtman for the discovery of quasicrystals.

2011 Nobel Prize in Literaturewas awarded to Tomas Tranströmer because, through his condensed, translucent images, he gives us fresh access to reality.